Discovering Aikido: Principles for
Practical Learning

Time

We must
use time as a tool, not as a crutch.
John F. Kennedy

The irimi and
tenkan, or as some say, omote and ura versions of techniques
can be thought of as being suitable for different situations. For example, if
uke pulls, tori could enter and perform an irimi type of
technique. If uke pushes, then tori could perform a tenkan
type of technique. Another way of looking at the difference is in terms of how
tori leads uke's energy. In performing an irimi variant,
tori is effectively returning uke's energy back towards uke
and beyond. When performing tenkan, tori adds a little to uke's
energy, initially encouraging it on, outwards, in the direction it was going,
then redirecting. Yet another way of rationalising irimi and tenkan
is in terms of time.

I liken irimi and tenkan
thus: irimi reverses uke's energy back towards him; tenkan
allows his energy to continue. This is not followed in the waza of many
schools, but I use it as a basis of my rationale as it just seems to make sense
to me.

Training with time in mind adds an
air of reality to practice, yet training in timing is rarely specifically
targeted in Aikido or other Japanese martial arts. Timing exists, of course, and
it is learned unconsciously. Without a framework, however, many people do not
actually know what it is that they know. Nor can they easily teach it.

Some timing related concepts and
exercises follow:

Total
Harmony

Before worrying about timing, in Aikido it is first best for tori and
uke to learn to do everything at exactly the same time, in harmony. Once you
have learned to do everything at exactly the same time, then, you will be better
able to alter the time.

Total
harmony with the attack occurs when tori harmonises with ukeís
movement from beginning to end. As uke raises his arm up to attack so tori goes to
meet it, as uke cuts down so tori deals with it. This is what
happens in the dojo most of the time. It is excellent practice but it is
limited to one method. As you train up to Shodan and beyond you will
probably notice that all of the 'times' mentioned below are covered in your training
(especially in your bokken and jo training). But at the same time, no one will ever
point out these 'times' to you in any rational way so that means the skills you
have are hidden. I like to think that if you know what you are doing and target
it in your training, you will get better at doing it.

Note: I have
rationalised my ideas a little better since I published my original book. I now
rationalise attacks into 7 simple 'times'.

Seven Attack Times (a
practical training methodology)

All martial arts deal with timing
but few appear to provide a clear structural framework of principles that embody
timing as a principle unto itself. With a little imagination it ought not be too
difficult to transfer concepts of timing to any martial art. Even better
would be to structure oneís own training to formally incorporate it.

#1 Before the attack 1
→ No time

The first
time is basically, no time. It is the surprise ambush, like when a policeman
approaches a criminal from behind and takes him down before he knows what's
happening. It is certainly not in the policeman's interest to let the criminal
know his intentions in advance.

#2 Before the attack 2
→ Provoking a response

Tori
feints towards uke who responds by raising their own arm in defence.
Tori then takes uke's raised arm and performs a technique. The
initial feint is irimi in nature, but only if the body moves forward, as
in an irimi type technique (if only the arm moves, it can not be called
irimi; it is just a feint in Aikido). At this time, especially if uke
stumbles back slightly, then tori can take initiative with an irimi
movement. However, if uke responds a little more strongly preventing an
irimi entry, then tori performs a tenkan movement. A typical example of
this timing is shomen-uchi ikkyoirimi, where tori
initiates the attack and takes control as uke raises their arm in
defence.

Four attacks in a 360 degree cycle

Imagine your shomen-uchi strike from beginning to end
- it raises up and then it comes down. Think of it as a circle describing 360
degrees as it moves up and down.

#3 Tori rushes in and meets the attack as
uke begins to raise his arm, anywhere from 0 to the first 90 degrees.
Uke barely has the chance to think. Tori overcomes him the moment he
decides to attack.

#4Tori
meets the attack between 90 and 180 degrees - as it is rising - and will
likely perfom an irimi technique sending uke backwards for say,
irimiikkyo. It is almost as if tori sends uke's
energy upwards, stifling the attack before it fully starts.

Tori
rushes in just as uke has begun a shomen-uchi attack. It is almost
a clash, but if tori catches it early enough uke will be overcome
by a combination of toriís forward momentum and the element of surprise -
an irimi technique will likely result.

Tori meets the attack early.

#5 Tori meets
the attack a little later, as it comes down, anywhere between 180 and 270
degrees. Here, it is natural to perform a tenkan technique, though it
is sometimes possible to do irimi.

As uke begins to
strike down with shomen-uchi, tori moves forwards quickly to meet
it in the same time, and on meeting turns and deflects it slightly, adding
energy to it. Tori typically moves ever so slightly to the side to avoid
meeting the attack head on. Meeting at this slightly later point in time,
uke's energy usually necessitates that tori perform a tenkan
technique. However, while the initial movement is tenkan in nature,
tori might decide to follow up with an irimi technique.

While
practising, Tori can have the feeling of starting late, catching up and
overtaking, or, moving at the same time in direct co-ordination and total
harmony with uke.

Tori meets the attack midway

#5-2 Tori disturbs uke's
attack by cutting up as uke cuts down. This uses a different strategy
but using the same time.

As uke cuts down with shomen-uchi, tori
cuts up hitting ukeís strike at a tangent, contacting on or near the
elbow and deflecting it slightly off course. Tori follows though with a
new cut, adding energy to ukeís arm. If the follow up cut is fast, a
tenkan technique will result, if slow and uke recovers slightly,
irimi is natural. The feeling in the deflection is as if trying to knock
something out of ukeís hand mid-swing.

As uke cuts down, tori raises his arm up
to deflect.

#6 Tori is
really late and meets the attack 270 to 360 degrees. Here, tenkan is far
easier to perform than irimi.

That point in time, after a
powerful shomen-uchi or tsuki lunge where uke has
momentarily over-extended themselves, is another opportunity waiting to be
taken. At this exact moment, uke is likely wide open for an
incapacitating strike and adding a little energy to uke's direction of
imbalance offers an opening to begin a tenkan technique.

Uke's attack has momentarily expired.

7 After the attack

After uke has over-extended
himself, it is natural to recover. In this instance, tori should
immediately harmonise with ukeís retreat and move in for an irimi
technique.

What is apparent then, is that the
distinction between when one should, and when one should not perform an irimi
or tenkan type technique can be based upon the time of meeting uke's
energy. It should also be pointed out that it is possible to mix irimi
and tenkan together. One can start with an irimi movement and
finish with tenkan, and vice-versa, but not recommended in gradings where
one is supposed to keep them separate to show that one does indeed know the
distinctions. Of course, those keen to learn Aikido should be aware that the
above distinctions are rarely, if ever, taught in any rational framework.

* Adding spice to life

The above seven 'times' are a
simple mechanical method. You 'interrupt' uke at different points
(especially in Nos 3-7) along a particular attack. The earlier you meet - the
faster you should be. But this means you are simply waiting for uke to
attack and then respond.

However, you can learn to play
with and control uke a little better if you initiate with #2 (either a
real attack or a feint), and then wait for the response and deal with it using
any time from #3 to #7. Or, you might offer uke an opening, a suki,
an opportunity. When uke takes it you are again ready to respond. In this
way, you are predicting or, rather, creating the future - a future where you are
ready to receive uke's attack at a point in time of your own choosing. If
you examine your bokken and jo katas, you may find more
interesting ideas that can be used in empty-hand work.

Kendo Time

Japanese
sword arts utilise three basic concepts for time. Note, sen means
'first/early/before' and in Japanese martial arts, some people like to translate sen as
'initiative'.

go-no-sen : Literally, after the attack, or late initiative: Your partner
takes the initiative, you see the attack, the attack finishes, and you act in response to that. This does not necessarily
mean that your opponent has the initiative. Though it may mean that, a better
interpretation of this concept is to allow your opponent to make the first move
while at the same time, quietly waiting to take advantage of that fact. You may
decide to offer an opening, which you use to lure in your opponent: he attacks
first ... you lie in wait and respond
accordingly.

sen-no-sen : Literally, early initiative. Tori deals the attack as
it approaches but before it fully arrives. Of course, tori should use his
skill to lure uke into this 'time'.

sen-sen-no-sen : Literally, at the same time as the attack. You attack
just as uke is about to, or just as he initiates his attack, to fully
overwhelm him. The attack cannot develop - it is smothered. The attack is
pre-empted. The attacker's intention barely has the time to materialise into a
strong physical attack..

To simplify
all this for Aikido:

EARLY sen-sen-no-sen : Tori moves in early as uke raises his
arm for shomen-uchi, pushing him straight back, for ikkyo.

MIDDLE sen-no-sen : Tori evades uke's shomen uchi by
stepping to the side, adds a little downward energy to it (the 'time' finishes
here), and then performs irimi-nage as uke rises.

LATE go-no-sen : Tori moves inside to evade a migi yokomen-uchi,
and as uke's attack finishes, tori then steps in with a left
handed shomen-ate strike as uke starts to recover.

* For an interesting read on all this in relation to O-Sensei and Aikido try:
here

Miyamoto Musashi (the ideas taken from his book,
Gorin-no-sho, match those of Kendo)

Musashi used the same basic concepts as in
modern Kendo but gave them different names.

The first method/time is to forestall the enemy by
attacking, which is called Ken No Sen (to set him up).

The second method/time is to forestall the enemy as he
attacks, which is called Tai No Sen (to wait for and to then take the
initiative).

The third method/time is when both you and the enemy
attack together. This is called Tai Tai No Sen (to move at the same time)

Musashi states that, "There are no methods of taking the lead
other than these three." (Musashi, Gorin-no-sho, 1645).

Italian Fencing time

Italian schools of fencing combine
time with method to produce strategy. In fencing, one aggressive or one
defensive movement is labelled as being done in one time, irrespective of
the speed of the movement.

dui tempo - double time: The simplest to
understand and practice, but easiest to defend against. Here, block/parry and
counter-strike make two completely separate movements.

mezzo tempo
- middle time: Counter the attack as it develops, sometimes with the feeling of
overtaking it.

in tempo
- in time, or stop hit: Avoid and counter-strike in harmony with the attack, in
the same time.

stesso tempo
- one time: Intercept, deflect the attack, and counter all in the same time.

Of swordplay, George Silver (Paradoxes of Defence,
London, 1599)
explains his four true times: (1) time of the hand, (2) time of the hand
and body, (3) time of the hand, body, and foot, and (4) time of the hand, body,
and feet. His four false times are: (1) time of the foot, (2), time of
the foot and body, (3) time of the foot, body, and hand, and (4) time of the
feet, body, and hand. Here it is interesting to note that Aikido, a body art
whose motion originates in the centre, appears to be based on his false
times.

Techniques without time are
nothing more than dead form. Training in the tempo of movement is a priceless
tool of strategy; one can anticipate and predict or lure to create the immediate
future. However, it must be remembered that European fencing is a hand art
whereas Aikido is primarily a body art. As such, Aikido offers a few more
variations such as taking the balance, adding energy to the attack, and looking
for openings in the midst of movement to a different range of target techniques.
One thing to be wary of is that a lot of basic Aikido techniques are based on
the simplest and most basic Italian concept, duo tempo. If one has the
knowledge of where one is in time, one can modify it to be different. A sensible
learning strategy is to isolate examples of various times within Aikido training
and to memorise and practise them.

While in South
Korea in 2015 I was watching some Karate students training and came up with
the following rationale. What I am trying to do is to come up with all the
possibilities in terms of time in such a way as to become more aware of what
exists to be trained. See what you think.